5 most lethal submission specialists in the UFC right now

Charles Oliveira [Image via @espnmma on Instagram]

Back in 1993, the first-ever UFC championship was won by way of submission. Royce Gracie choked out Dutch kickboxer Gerard Gordeau in the finalé of UFC 1 to become the promotion's inaugural champion. Since then, numerous submission specialists have graced the famed octagon.

🗓️ Nov 12 1993 - 'UFC 1'

25 years ago today, the very first UFC event in history took place in Denver, Colorado 🇺🇸

🥋 Royce Gracie submitted Jimmerson, Shamrock, and Gordeau to become the first ever UFC tournament champion 🙌 https://t.co/kE0RQrf2R7

As the sport continues to evolve, and as fighters ubiquitiously become more well-rounded, it's becoming harder to stand out as a world-class grappler. As those with a striking background improve their takedown defense, high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners are finding it difficult to get the fight to the mat.

However, some fighters stand out as dangerous submission threats despite their peers' obvious improvements in the grappling realm. These individuals have solid Brazilian jiu-jitsu backgrounds, with some being multi-time champions in the discipline.

On that note, here are the five most lethal submission specialists in the UFC right now. Honorable mentions include Bryce Mitchell, Sean Brady, Andre Muniz, Tom Aspinall and Gilbert Burns.

#5. Brian Ortega – UFC featherweight

Brian Ortega is among the best featherweights in the world right now. 'T-City' joined the UFC as an undefeated prospect back in 2014 and has enjoyed a rampant rise up the ranks. He has never lost a non-championship bout, and at just 31, the Californian still has plenty to offer.

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Interestingly, the 'T' in his fighter nickname 'T-City' stands for triangle, which is his favorite type of submission.

Ortega is a first-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Rener Gracie. Out of his 15 professional MMA career wins, 7 have come via submission. His victories over Diego Brandao, Renato Moicano and Cub Swanson stand out as some of his best performances on the world's biggest stage.

ICYMI: @BrianTCity's submission win over Cub Swanson was epic! Ortega's Post-Fight Insight reveals how he took Swanson to T-City! #UFC222 https://t.co/qEa10REVsj

Ortega's impeccable grappling saw him come agonizingly close to winning gold last year. In his second attempt at the title, 'T-City' took on reigning featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 266. After being picked apart for the first two-and-a-half rounds, he put the champion in a tight guillotine choke, which Volkanovski ultimately escaped.

Volkanovski nearly saw his title slip away due to Ortega’s choke 😬 #UFC266 https://t.co/TERyHcARfv